Wellesley w



(No Model.)

W. W. GAGE.

FENCE POST.

No. 340,568. Patented Apr. 27, 1886.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W'ELLESLEY W. GAGE, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

FENCE-POST.

QPECIPI'CATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,568, dated April 27, 1886.

Application filed July 17, 1885.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WELLEsLEY W. GAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates that class of fences in which metallic posts and wires are used; and my invention consists in the posts constructed as fully described hereinafter, so as to perwit the wires to be readily inserted and withdrawn,- but secure them firmly in place when the fence is erected.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, in part section, showing part of a fence illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one of the posts. Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the posts. Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sections of the lower part of the post, illustrating modifications. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation showing a modification.

Each post A is formed of single strip or plate of metal, that portion which consti tutes the part of the post extending above the ground being bent or doubled longitudinally, so as to form a bar U-shaped in cross-section, the portion which is to be below ground be ing flat and pointed, so that the upper end of the post will receive without injury the blows of the mallet necessary to drive the lower portion into the ground.

Each of the two parallel sides a a of the upper portion of the post is slotted from the edge inward and downward to form inclined slots 00, coinciding in position with those in the other side for the passage of the wires 1),

the inclination of the slots serving to cause the wires to fall toward the lower ends and maintain their position in the slots, and also preventing the ready displacement of the wires from the effects of lateral pressure.

In order to insure the retention of the wires in the slots, I use a retaining appliance. This appliance may be a wire, 0, extending round the back edge of the post or through a perforation therein and coiled at the ends around the wire I), as shown at t in Fig. 1; or a wire, a, may extend vertically in front of the wires 1) and be held in place by tying-wires q, wound round the post, as shown in Fig. 6, a removable cross-pin, r, passing through a cross- Serial No. 171,890. (No model.)

opening in the post and in a ring at the end of the wire a, supporting the latter. fer, however, to usea plate, B, provided with slots y, inclined downward toward the edge. These slots y are arranged at the same distance apart as the slots 0;, so that their outer ends will coincide with the slots 00 when the plate B is raised, thereby permitting each .wire to be passed into both the slots 3 and x, after which the plate B may be lowered until only the inner ends of the slots :1: y coincide, when the wires will all be securely locked in position. The plate may then be secured by passing a pin through coinciding openings 8 t, in the post and in theplate B. The plate B may also be employed as the means of further securing and tightening the wires, to effect which itis only necessary to force the plate downward, so as to bend each wire 1) into a loop between the checks at a of the post, as shown in Fig. 2.

The notches 3 may extend to the inner edge of the plate, instead of outward.

To impart greater rigidity to the lower portion of the post, a central rib or edgeribs may be formed thereon, asshown in Figs. 4 and 5.

It will be evident that the slotted posts may be used without the plates B.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts described, I claim 1. The combination, in a fence, of a post consisting of a single plate bent at the upper end to form two parallel cheeks, a, and provided with downwardly-inclined coinciding slots so, wires 6, extending through said slots, and a retaining device for securing the wires, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the post having cheeks a a and downwardly-inclined coinciding slots 0:, of a plate, B, having inclinedslots y, at an angle to the slots .90, substantially as set forth. 7

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VELLESLEY W. GAGE.

Witnesses:

DANIEL E. DELAVAN, JOHN R. DUNN.

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